Denver Survival Skills Instructor

For almost 20  years, Avid4 Adventure has empowered kids to live active outdoor lifestyles through our unique outdoor programming. Survival Skills Instructors co-lead and mentor a different group of 13 kids in Grades 2-7 (groups formed by grade) every week and guide them through an array of survival skills activities including but not limited to: shelter building, plant identification, bow drills, animal tracking and rescue techniques. This position is responsible for helping campers build a sense of team, supporting campers’ sense of comfort and confidence with primitive and survival activities, engaging campers both during and after activities, and maintaining a safety-oriented environment. If you are seeking meaningful work as part of an inclusive community of outdoor enthusiasts, we invite you to join us this upcoming summer!

We are hiring Survival Skills Instructor for our Colorado locations:

• Wash Park, Central Park, & Highlands Ranch

In this role you will:

• Summer Day Camp Survival Skills Instructors co-lead groups of up to 13 campers in age and developmentally appropriate instruction with outdoor activities including shelter building, fire making, navigation, plant and animal identification, Leave No Trace principles, teambuilding, and more.

• Survival Skills Instructors may be asked to also instruct our other core sports - paddling, rock climbing, and mountain biking.  We will provide you with all of the hard and soft skills you need to succeed in this position! 

• Organize and participate in camp programming, ranging from outdoor sports to camp games and rituals

• Follow and educate campers on safety protocols to ensure the wellbeing of participants

• Serve as a role model by exhibiting appropriate behavior, attitudes, and activities

• Provide exceptional customer service to parents and all program participants

• If you are a trained Driver, transport up to 13 campers to and from program areas with company passenger vans

Your Background:

• Must be at least 18 years of age by the start of camp for all positions

• Must be at least 21 years of age to be eligible for a Driver position

• +1 years of experience working with kids in a professional or volunteer setting preferred

• Personal and/or professional experience in primitive and survival wilderness skills

• Minimum of Basic First Aid & CPR certification by the start of camp (and we can point you in the right direction to get this done)

Important Details

• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 35-40  hours/week

• Position Duration: Training begins mid-late May, program depending; day camps run from early-mid August, program depending

• Compensation: Pay is determined by position, additional responsibilities, relevant certifications, and staff tenure. Starting hourly rates are below:

  • Base rate: $18.75/hour 

  • Camp Drivers: additional 3% hourly rate once fully trained 

  • Relevant Certification Bonuses: $125 - $400 per certification (up to $1,000) 

Our Interview Process

We understand your time is valuable which is why we have a simple, 3-minutes or less, mobile-friendly application. We also like to be transparent about our interview process so here is what you can expect after you apply:

• Step 1: Complete a one-way video interview and submit three references (personal and/or professional)

• Step 2: 20-minute live virtual interview

• Final decision!!

This process moves quickly so be ready to hear from us shortly after you submit your application.

Why Avid4 Adventure?

• We are repeatedly voted by Outside Magazine as one of the 50 Best Places to Work.

• We are the only summer camp in the world that is a Certified B Corp (Benefit Corporation).

• We truly live by our Core Values.

• We are committed to improving inclusion, diversity, justice, and equity both internally and in the outdoor industry as a whole. You can learn more about our JEDI commitments and progress here.

• Benefits - Affordable health insurance for seasonal staff, access to free gear, discounted pro deals on gear, professional development, public transportation reimbursement to/from camp, and more!